Coal-ghute



Patented Aug. 23, 1898.

J L S. CHEW.

00A L C H U T E.

(Application filed Apr. 16, 1898.)

(No Model.)

INVENTOH WITNESSES A 770HNE Y8.

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NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES s. CHEW, or WHAT CHEER, IOWA.

COAL-CH UTE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 609,658, dated August 23, 1898.

Application filed Aprillfl, 1898. Serial no.e77,s'14. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES S. CHEW, of What Cheer, in the county of Keokuk and State of Iowa, have invented a new and Improved Coal-Ohute, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention is a coal-chute of peculiar construction by means of which it is possible to divide the stream of coal and direct the same into any one of the plurality of passages, so that two or more vehicles may be loaded simultaneously from one chute.

This specification is the disclosure of one form of my invention, while the claims define the actual scope of the invention.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of the invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section thereof, and Fig. 3 is a detail section on the line III III of Fig. 1.

This invention is applied to an inclined coal-chute leading from the usual elevated tipple. These chutes are usually provided with a sieve, such as the sieve 4 shown in the drawings, over which the coal is run to separate the dust from the coal. As shown in the drawings, my invention may be arranged either above or below the sieve 4 or both above and below the same. In the drawings I have shown the latter arrangement. 'Above the sieve 4 the chute is divided into three branches, designated, respectively, 5, 6, and 7. These branches meet at a common juncture, and their two pairs of meeting walls are respectively provided with posts 8, embraced by the jaws 9 of the two deflectors 10, which are mounted to swing on vertical pivots 11, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1. The jaws 9 are considerably larger than the posts 8, so that as the deflectors 1O swing the jaws will not interfere with the posts, but at the same time will eifectively direct the coal past the posts. The deflectors 10 when moved toward each other, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1, meet at a stationary head-block 12, held midway the chute. When the deflectors 10 are moved to the position shown by full lines in Fig. 1, the coal is directed along the branch 6. Then by moving either or both of the deflectors 10 to the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1 the coal may be directed into either or both of the branches and 7.

For the purpose of shifting the deflectors and for guiding the free ends thereof, I provide for eachdeflector a guide-rail 14. These two guide-rails have their inner ends attached to the head-block 12 and respectively project laterally therefrom on each side and have their outer ends attached, respectively, to the outer walls of the branches 5 and 7, immediately adjacent to the main portion of the chute. Each deflector 10 rigidly carries a frame 15, which frames in turn' carry rollers 16, respectively, running on the guiderails 14, and by these means the deflectors are guided in their swinging movement. Mounted in the head-block 12 are two loose sheaves 17 and 18, around each of which a rope 19 passes. These ropes 19 are respectively attached to the frame and are run past the respective sides of the chute and held by idler-sheaves, such as the sheaves 20, (shown in Fig. 1,) or by-any other suitable device. Through the medium of the ropes 19 and their attached and coacting parts the deflectors 10 may be shifted independently from one position to the other.

The branch Got the chute leads to the sieve 4, and the branches 5 and 7 may be made to lead to any desired point for the purpose of loading vehicles with coal or for the purpose of carrying ofi dust and other refuse matter.

Below the sieve 4 the chute is again divided,

into two branches 21and 22. The branch 21 leads straight ahead and may discharge into a Vehicle 23, located below it. The branch 22 curves laterally and rearwardly, so as to deliver into a vehicle 24. The meeting walls of the branches 21 and 22 come to a point that is protected by a post 25, similar to the posts 8. This post 25 is embraced by the jaw 26 of a deflector 27, mounted to swing on a vertical pivot 28, all which are similar to the parts 9, 10, and 11, before described. By these means the stream of coal from the sieve 4 may be directed into either one of the branches 21 and 22, or by moving the deflector 27 to intermediate position the coal may be led through both branches simultaneously.

As shown best in Fig. 3, the deflector 27 carries a rigid frame 29, similar to the frames 15 and serving to mount a roller 30, that runs on a guide-rail 31. The guide-rail 31 extends across the chute at the free end of the deflector 27, by which means the deflector is properly guided at its free end. Attached to one side wall of the chute is a sheave 32, over which runs a rope 33. The rope 33 is attached to the frame 29 and is rove around an idler-pulley 34, carried on the framing of the chute. The rope 33 provides means for shifting the deflector 27.

The ropes 33 and 19 may be rigged so that they may be operated from any point. In practice it will be preferable to lead them to the scale-house that is usually built alongside of the chute, thus permitting the deflectors to be operated by the person in charge of the scale-house, or, if desired, the ropes may be rigged as shown and operated by attendants in the immediate vicinity of the deflectors, for which 'purpose the chutes may be constructed with platforms, such as the platforms 35 shown in the drawings.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A coal-chute having two branches, a post mounted at the meeting walls of said branches, and a deflector having a jaw loosely embracing the post, the deflector being mounted to swing on the chute to command each branch thereof, and the jaw serving to shed the coal past the post.

2. A coal-chute having two branches, two walls of which meet to form a point, and a deflector mounted to swing at said point to com- 'mand the branches, the deflector havinga jaw loosely embracing the said point of the walls so as to shed the coal past the same.

3. A coal-chute vhaving a deflector, a frame attached rigidly thereto, a roller carried by the frame, a guide-rail run across the chute and having the roller engaged therewith to guide the deflector, a pulley mounted on the chute, and a rope in connection with the frame and rove around the pulley whereby to impart movement to the deflector.

4. A coal-chute having three branches, two deflectors mounted to swing on the chute to command said branches, a head-block engaged by the free ends of the deflectors, two guide-rails projecting respectively in opposite directions from the head-block and across the chute, a roller carried by each deflector, the rollers running respectively on the guiderails, and means for swinging the deflectors.

5. A coal-chute having three branches, two

JAMES S. CHEW.

Witnesses:

C. W. HARBISON, GEO. A. WARNER. 

